Creating A Mutualistic Symbiosis With Our Planet

Have you ever wondered what an advanced extraterrestrial species would think of the human race?Human beings may occur to be strange and primitive. Generally we tend to have very little awareness of our biosphere, as we consume and destroy the very environment which we depend on to survive.

There is another organism which follows a similar pattern. A parasite.

Parasitism is defined by a non-mutual relationship where one species benefits solely at the expense of another, the host.

If you look at the relationship the human species holds with the Earth from an outside perspective, it could very easily appear to be parasitism.

However, there are other forms of symbiotic relationships in nature. The one I have recently become fascinated with is called mutualism.

Mutualism is the way two organisms of different species exist in a relationship in which each individual benefits from the activity of the other. For example, mycorrhizal fungus attaches itself to the root structure of certain plants. In this relationship the fungus thrives while acting as an extension of the plants root system itself. The plant is able to uptake more nutrients, and both organisms are able to thrive in a harmonious benevolent relationship. Similarly, human beings host probiotic bacteria in the digestive system. A strong culture of probiotic bacteria in the gut allows for a healthy digestive system and makes a significant impact on our overall health.

Mutualism is a powerful force in nature, and it may even be the secret to our next evolutionary stage.

If there are other species of intelligent life in this universe, especially if there are species which have surpassed the technological and social advancement of our own, I would want to ask them how they did it. How did they survive the violence, the war, the poverty, the pollution, the illness and the ignorance that a species in a primitive evolutionary stage such as ours appears to be facing indefinitely.

Perhaps, this is what they discovered: Evolution eventually leads it’s most sentient species to a profound actualization of symbiotic relationship. Mutualism is a primary relationship in nature and it occurs on every scale of existence. Through the active expression of mutualism, progress can be made truly sustainable. We can start to thrive as a species, indivisible by race or gender while developing a harmonic relationship with our biosphere.

Our species could be on the brink of this discovery. Racism is becoming an absurdity, equal rights movements are starting to form everywhere, and renewable energy technologies are being developed passionately.

Is it possible the solution we’ve been searching for has been hidden in nature all along?